How Does Depression Make You Gain Weight?

Depression is serious. You do not feel like yourself, and other’s around you notice the differences as well. Some changes are just mental, while other changes are physical. You may lose weight, but there are also a significant number of people who gain weight instead. Here is how depression makes you gain weight. It can be from lack of exercise, lack of healthy foods, over consumption of bad foods, depression medication and so much more. Keep reading to find out how you can turn your downward spiral around and make yourself healthy again.

When we feel lonely and sad, it often affects our waistlines. We either push food away, or eat whatever is in sight. I know I crave food that is bad for me when I am in a depressed state: chocolate and peanut butter, cake, cookies, ice cream. You name it, I crave it. There is something with the combination of chocolate and peanut butter that makes me feel like myself again; that is until I step on a scale or put on my skinny jeans and notice that they are feeling a bit snug. This in itself can make you spiral down again since your clothes do not fit you any longer. Been there, right?

Depression supplements are also known to make you pack on the pounds. Many doctors are noticing the connection between antidepressants and weight gain, that many are switching their patients to other depression supplements. There are supplements out there that will aid with weight loss, so losing weight may help to reverse the depression in some patients. Doctors are trying to slowly get their patients off of the medication, and while doing so they sometimes switch to different depression medications that are less potent. It seems to be working for their patients.

Lack of exercise. One of my favorite movies is Legally Blonde. Elle Woods taught us that exercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins make you happy (happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t). If you are depressed and gaining weight, chances are you are not exercising. It is easier said than done, but once you start an exercise regime, you will feel better mentally and also physically. The weight will come off, and your burdens will be put on a back shelf if even just for the 60 minute class. Whenever I break up with a boyfriend, the first place I go to is an intense gym class. I know then that the chocolate and peanut butter will not be adding inches to my waistline.

What you need to do is look for signs of depression to make sure you do not put on too much weight. Are you currently happy with your life? If the answer is no, then try to do something that will make you happy. A nice walk in the fresh air can do the trick. It does not cost anything either. Do you feel as though you have separated yourself from others whether intentionally or not? If you are usually outgoing, people notice this about you before you notice it about yourself. They may ask where you are, or give you a phone call or text message. Listen to your friends and family and get back out there. You have to hit rock bottom once in your life, it is all up from there. Believe me from someone who has hit rock bottom more than once in their life.

Now, take a look at your diet. What are you eating? Chances are if you are gaining weight and depressed, it is something that may be deep fried, starchy and all the same or similar color which is brow/tan. If that is what your dinner plate looks like, go to the trash can and toss it. Put some color in your food. Green lettuce, red tomatoes, yellow peppers, black olives, white feta cheese and so on. Your plate should look like a painting with beautiful colors. If there is not a variety of colors on your plate, then you will gain weight. Eating healthy helps with depression. It provides you with health vitamins and minerals that you need to function properly. Go to your local farm to table restaurant if you do not feel like cooking, and stay away from McDonald’s.

You can see now how depression makes you gain weight. Ditch your French fries for carrot sticks and head to a yoga class to release all of your negative energy. The weight will come off slowly, and you will feel much better when it does. Also, seek different medical advice from different doctors. You never know which advice will work best for you.